"Boy Scout canoe"

[Blue Viking]

I have acquired a 16' "Boy Scout" canoe made by White Canoe Company and thanks to Sally and Dan in Denmark Maine, was able to identify it as an authentic White by the typical ship lapped planking and the carved out hand holds...Would anyone have any more information on these to help narrow the year of manufacture...no serial numbers. The best I can guess is it may be a later model becasue it has slatted seats that appear to be original. Information is that it has been in the same family for 3 generations and was abandoned and donated to me from a camp on Washburne Pond in Woodstock Maine..took a full day to dig it out of the snow and ice so I wouldnt damage it any further...Thanks

 

[Benson Gray]

Slatted seats often indicate a canoe made during World War Two when cane was not readily available. The older White's had a "D" shaped rear seat that was steam bent. You may be able to make a better identification from the information at http://www.dragonflycanoe.com/id/ or from the old White catalogs available in the Historic Wood Canoe and Boat Company Catalog Collection CD available at http://merchandise.wcha.org/ and http://www.dragonflycanoe.com/cdrom.htm on the web.

Benson

 

[Rollin Thurlow]

For a brief time around 1952 the company was advertising that it built the "Offical canoe for the Boy Scouts". This was soon after Bob King had purchased the company from E.M. White. I doubt if White had pursued building the Boy Scout canoes because he was not interested in growing the company. It would appaear that King pursued the Boy Scout busness just to keep things going but by 1958 they were concentrating on Lap strake runabouts and canoes were a very minor part of the business.

Rollin

 

[Blue Viking]

Thanks Rollin.....Havent really looked it over good yet..it is covered for the winter....Enjoyed the visit with you last summer ...Saw another wood/canvas boat like the one I got and am almost convinced it is a Kennebec...Hope to see you in the spring

 

[Blue Viking]

White runabout

PS:.....Was in Bethel this noon and looked at a White Canoe Company lapstrake runabout Has a decal on the dash...what a coincince that you mentioned that!...It has possibilites for restoration but I wonder if there is any demand for them!...This one is what I would describe as "Labor intensive" I can have it for $200 on a trailer that is as old as the boat I think!

 

[Rollin Thurlow]

They're great boats but your right in that it can get very labor intensive but for $200 you cann't go wrong!n I would never get it thinking I could turn it around for a profit but if You want an tradtional wooden boat with some style it would be a good one.
Rollin

 

[Bob Cook]

I have one also. Do you have seats or thwarts? my canoe #is 781. Bob Cook